Striker Suits: MAX
by EliteStrangers1607
Summary: 2015: After a tragic incident that occured from Max Faust's fighter squadron involving an overly unmatched battle against Nightmare Delta Neuroi, he finds himself a new person, as an Esper out of his saved life. Willing to keep fighting against the Neuroi, he sets out under supervision of his father to take on the worst of the Neuroi ever encountered...
1. Prologue

_**PROLOGUE…**_

 _ **Late 2014…**_

In the vast reaches of spaces lied a lonely planet, mostly red in color. Mars was never really explored so much, but one exploration team was able to make the mission and they landed there. One of the expedition crew members was a doctor named Dr. Enzo Faust… a Karlsland scientist who has so much to give humanity as a whole. As a man of innovation, his dream is to surpass the creation of Dr. Ichiro Miyafuji's creation: The Striker Unit.

And it all starts with a small explosion in the research laboratory of an outpost in the same planet…

The smoke cleared inside the laboratory, and the 60-year old scientist was covered in soot. His eyes were wide open, and his glasses were covered in soot that he used his hands to take them off so he could see. He had finally done it… after 3 years of research everywhere in Earth and in that planet itself came the power of a clean sustainable energy. He primarily called IEC or the Ion Energy Cell. But as he shouted and laughed at his success, he knows it's not over yet…

 _ **Early 2015… On their way back to Earth…**_

As the ship was heading back to Earth after the crew's mission is a success, Dr. Faust's plans were far from over.

"Natalie!" Faust was in an audio communication with her assistant Natalie who was back at their research facility in Earth. "So… how's the Esper Conversion testing doing?"

" _So far, it's okay doc. Most of the witches that were able to get through our Esper Conversion process are satisfied. I mean… AIM fields are completely variant to every subject after all._ "

"An Involuntary Movement…"

" _It's your research when you got through the quantum universes theory, Doc. Never thought you'd be able to accomplish this?_ "

"No. In fact, I haven't. This is something revolutionary. After I've completed the IEC, I knew things are going to be simplified from now on."

" _You mean with the Striker Suits?_ "

"Yes. In fact… the power of the striker suit is unmatched since it's used by an Esper, and it's powered by the energy cell I've created. Did you receive the specs of the energy cell?"

" _Yup… It's certainly a dangerous thing, doc._ "

"This is why we have to be very wise as to who handles both the IEC and the suits themselves. Get started on the first batch, Natalie."

" _Wait, are you sure?_ "

"Yes. I'm pretty sure of it. But for now, put the productions team up and running with a note that these units are not to be released to the media, yet. And it also applies to the military, Natalie. They mustn't know about it for now."

" _If you wish, Doc. Understood._ "

"Listen…" Faust sighed and frowned. "I was not able to accomplish this without you and the team. This is truly something that I must recognize as a unique piece of work."

" _It's something you started, Doc. You don't need to give us credit. All we did was making something for everyone, right?_ "

"You can say that."

" _You're saying it like you don't deserve helping us all. Oh well!_ "

"Hahaha… You certainly have a way to put it off. Now… I have to go. It seems our little talk must end for the meantime."

" _Alright. Stay frosty, Doc._ " Natalie said it just before she hanged up. The scientist sighed afterwards, and was met by Max.

" _ **Talked to Nat?**_ " Max caught his father's attention. His hair was all black and it was short, except for a short cue at the back of his head.

The scientist smiled at his son. "So it seems."

"Well at least you've gotten to talking to them after some time."

"I was busy."

"Well, at least being busy brought you to be quite happy, right?" Max said this with some ton of dissatisfaction.

"Look… I have my reasons and they understood that." Faust answered, and this made Max sigh.

Enzo Faust was still running experiments and tests for the new Ion Energy Cell and it seemed to make him busy that he wouldn't talk to any of his team members back at the research lab in Earth. But being able to finally succeed in making the Ion Energy Cell has certainly turned things around.

"That's how dark you get." Max crossed his arms. "At least, that's over… for now."

"Hahaha… Son, you should understand that your father's working for quite a long time now. I'm 62 years of age and already in my prime. I'm retiring space travel."

"And it counts me up on that too. See… I'm going back to the Karlsland Air Force."

"Oh? Don't have any plans to come up for the next mission next year?"

"Not a chance?"

"Well, where are they going to find the best pilot like yourself?" And Faust laughed again, irritating Max this time.

' _Old men._ ' Max thought, just before he got to look at his father's eyes again, seeing the excitement from him. ' _He certainly has that excitement to try the IEC._ '

"This is going to be great…" The scientist simply said before rubbing his hands together…

 _ **June 2015… Earth…**_

It had been a week after the whole crew was finally released from the facility for them to cope up with gravity and body chemistry. Those tests were run just before they were released. Along with it, Max signed his resignation papers, and he was quitting the United Nations Aero-Space Administration for good. He's done enough space travel while he's at 26 years of age. Meanwhile… his father was planning… all for the Striker Suit Mk I.

And just like that as the unique IEC was put on to the first prototype, all functions on the Striker Suit Mk. I had worked, and the very birth of Striker Suits was born…

 _ **September 2015… 0922 hours… Weather: Sunny with Clear Skies…**_

 _ **Spremburg, Karlsland… Near North Ostmark border…**_

The runway wasn't as busy as usual for this time, but personnel were present as they attended to their own duties during the day.

Max was writing a few things on his notepad while he's at a hangar where in front of him, a SU-27 was placed. Karlsland had been given their own defense initiatives and equipments after the Second World War. He knows it could have ended up worse… but it was also the right time to end their differences and not result in war in between countries. That was why Karlsland was back in business to being just a nation that acts ordinarily as others… with defensive capabilities now possible to be used.

" _ **Maxy?**_ " Max's attention was caught by a young Liberion woman's voice, coming from a young woman in her 20's with blonde to orange her, now approaching him.

"You took a while."

"Sorry. Commander Evans required me."

"And does a Liberion Navy commander supposed to be related to us in this place?"

"It's just to settle security issues around Romagna. They let us know about a pocket full of Neuroi Class-4's hanging around there. Europe may be in good shape, but we're not taking any chances." She stopped as resumed his work while writing things on his notepad again and she took notice. "What are you doing?"

"I'm just checking the specs of the SU-27 order with this model. They told me a malfunction on one of the gauges here just happened and they want me to check everything." Max explained, not expecting his chin to be held by her before his head turned to her, thanks to her.

"You're… stressing yourself." She said before letting go his chin. Then he took her appearance into detail, having curly hair reaching to her D-cup sized chest and the blue eyes that simply captivated him. "You're staring again." And he looked back at his notepad. "I noticed that. Tch."

"Look… Why the hell are you here for?"

"I'm just telling you: You're not the one in charge of maintenance around here."

"I gave him a break. That's why I'm handling things here."

"You gave Frederic a break again?"

"He didn't have it well when he drank to his wife's death last night. It's different." And his explanation got her to be silent. It took a little while of his writing to notice she was indeed silent. "Now do you understand?"

"I'm sorry."

"Trix, it's fine."

"No it isn't. I forgot we were understaffed."

"I see. Then don't let that happen again. You're lucky we're both in the same page here." And after Max's forgiveness, he felt lips press on his cheek for a while before seeing a smiling Trix beside her.

"Thanks. I hope you didn't forget I liked you and you felt the same." That little statement got him to blush a little. Then he remembers from his duties and just outside the box… that she's his girlfriend. For once, he never thought of it. He returned that with a smile.

"Regulations state…"

"I know. I know." Trix said before she walked away, maintaining that smile in her.

 _ **0947 hours…**_

Max was checking the gauges from the cockpit of the SU-27 while's he's seated inside. "Hmm… Mercury's busted as well. Looks like some repairs have to made to that…" He mutters as he kept searching for more spots that are damaged.

" _ **Major!**_ " A Karlsland pilot ran into the hangar and was just beside the SU-27 Max was in. "Major, we got a problem!"

"Then speak up! I'm looking at some parts here!"

"Ostmark Recon Team has just gone down." And the pilot certainly got Max's attention.

"How?"

"They were investigating lost Romagnan contacts at West Europe when they just shouted out Neuroi contacts were in presence."

"How many planes do we have now?"

"Right now, we got four ready to go."

"Good. Then suit up!" And at his order… the airbase was on alert…

 _ **1014 hours… West European airspace and over waters…**_

 _ **Altitude: 16375 feet above ground…**_

Two SU-27's and two Panavia Tornado GR4 fighter aircraft were grouped as a squadron and were furiously fast.

"Heuschrecke (Grasshopper) One, checking in. Squadron, report!" Max ordered on the radio while wearing the helmet and mask. His aircraft was an SU-27 with a winter pattern, having a nickname of "Grey Thunder" inscribed at the right side of the nose.

"Heuschrecke Two, reporting." Trixie Reynald replied on the radio, now acting as wingman. Her aircraft is an SU-27 with the same winter pattern as Max's aircraft, having a nickname of "Lime Shooter" inscribed at the right side of the nose.

"Heuschrecke Three, rock and roll!" Jon Flater replied on the radio, with the fact he was the pilot who ran for Max back at the airbase. His aircraft was a standard Panavia Tornado GR4 with a blue camo pattern.

"Heuschrecke Four, online!" Melissa Heinrichs replied on the radio. Her aircraft was identical to Flater's. "Sir, what now?"

"Obviously… we try finding the crash site of the Ostmark Recon Team." Max explained, then Trix next.

"Major… we haven't seen any of them crash on land… even on Britannia or Gallia."

"That's why we're out at sea. I'm sending you all coordinates." As Max used his onboard computer and sent coordinates, his radar system reacted with a few beeps. His long range radar got a hit on unknown bogeys. "Alright… those coordinates I sent you are in the direction the bogeys are. Let's identify them first. Copy?"

" _Right, Sir._ "

" _Roger._ "

" _Copy._ "

And as Max was looking at his radar, he noticed the bogeys are at his 10 to 11 O'Clock (Northwest). He banked his aircraft and the rest of the squadron followed as he saw figures from from a distance. At first, he couldn't make it out since the internal systems don't easily recognize unknown contacts. But as they were getting closer, he saw beam-muzzle fire from the figures. "EVASIVE MANEUVERS!" And along with his squadron, they evaded beams while the figures were so close while his minded acted fast. He analyzed the figures and saw they weren't just Neuroi, while being red in color. The figures and the shape was too familiar, with their color purple instead of red. As his mind went back to normal… "NIGHTMARE DELTA NEUROI! ALL UNITS, ENGAGE! SPLIT BY TWO!"

" _We got your back!_ "

" _Oh my god… it's turning for us!_ "

" _Covering for you, Three!_ "

Max starts to make distance while Trix follows, just before he makes a sharp bank and pulls his joystick so he could join the action. He then spots numbers Three and Four engaged with a Nightmare unit from behind. "Three and Four, you got a contact from behind!"

" _We know that!_ " Heinrichs said as she flies high, not noticing the ND unit was following her instead. ' _What?!_ ' She thought before Max saw the inevitable. Instead of using repeating beams, the ND unit charged a beam from above before firing a purple long-beam straight at Heinrichs' plane before her engines and rear were hit badly, making her lose her wings as well. " _I'm hit! I'm hit! MAYDAY…_ " And an explosion followed from her plane.

"SHIT!" Max cursed, seeing the explosion confirms one of their own is down. With no hesitation while the ND unit went low and was behind him, he banked hard while hitting the air brakes and pulling his joystick to tightly pursue the unit. While hitting the throttle down he got the Neuroi unit at his crosshairs. He was supposed to use his machineguns but it started to swerve elsewhere. "Damn, I can't get a lock! Trix, get off my back and engage it!"

" _Right!_ " Trix then followed the Neuroi instead of Max. And thanks to the angle of her direction, she was able to get there faster and fired her machineguns. As the rounds hit the Neuroi, she saw the rounds were deflected by tight shield. " _Oh my… they're hard to take down!_ "

"What?!"

" _It's like they got shields!_ "

" _ **HELP ME OUT HERE!**_ " Flater's voice was accompanied by the sight of his plane swerving while evading red Neuroi beams while accompanied by a long-beam from behind. " _KYAAAA!_ " And the long-beam hits his plane before it explodes.

"What the hell is happening?!" Max asked out of the impossible odds they were facing. They were once four in a squadron, and now it's just him and Trix left.

" _MAXY! I got one right behind me! Attempting the break!_ " And as Max was able to witness her from his left, he saw her plane greatly decrease in speed and tilted her plane up before the ND unit pursuing her went past her. Eventually, she got herself stable before she fired her machineguns. "FOX 2!" And firing missiles, the Neuroi simply sent repeating beams at the missiles and she avoided some of them. " _What the hell?! They got tail-beams!_ "

"They're not as I remember them! What the hell?!" Max then knew the other ND unit was right behind him. "Shit! I got the other on my tail too! Keep evading your bogey! I'll try to assist!" Max then banked and turned towards the direction of her wingman while going to her direction.

" _NO! Save yourself! You're outmatched!_ "

"TRIX!" He shouted just before seeing her pursuing ND unit just fired long-beam, dead-on accurately while she attempted a barrel roll. The beam hits the engine, then the canopy…

Suddenly, his world stopped there as he widened his eyes. The world suddenly disappears as he saw himself out of his plane, and her outside of hers. They were hovering in front of each other…

"Maxy…" She muttered as an echo was heard of her voice. She stretched her arm out, attempting to reach him, but the world turned white…

Trixie's SU-27 was hit with the long beam and cuts the aircraft in half before both parts exploded.

"TRIXIE!" Max shouted out her name, leaving him all alone out there with no one to help him. ' _She's gone… She's gone…_ ' A strong vibration and sounds of beams passing from behind woke him from his thoughts before he felt his world spin. It only seemed his wing was hit and was spinning out of control when he heard radio chatter. A girl's voice was heard, and spoke Orussian. But not caring about anything else, he looked for the emergency bail lever and found it under his seat. He immediately hits the canopy eject button the and the canopy broke off the plane before pulling the lever, ejecting him from his seat own aircraft. What he didn't expect was a purple long-beam suddenly shredding through his left shoulder and the left side of his seat with it. He screamed in pain, knowing he lost his arm while he fell towards the sea.

" _FIRE ON THAT FUCKER!_ " A Liberion girl said on the radio as he still remembered while falling from a high altitude.

" _Fox Two!_ " An Orussian accented voice from a girl was heard next.

Max was losing consciousness, but he can't do anything about it. He has to stay in his seat as it was the only thing holding the parachute. As he bore the pain, he tried looking for the parachute cord on the seat. He couldn't find one, and only a burnt out string along with part of the chute release bag was found.

He had no parachute… and his amputated shoulder was bleeding out while falling. He only heard a Neuroi shard explosion but it's not enough. He's falling to his death straight to the sea below him. The two girls were still occupied at the other Neuroi. As his sight and mind begin to lose it, his eyes slowly closed, as he still felt the air rushing at him. Then, as he didn't expect it… something, or someone, stopped his fall. He didn't care… as he lost consciousness.

It was like a minute, or two, or just two hours. It was before…

" _THAT IS MY SON!_ " Enzo Faust's voice of a blurry echo was heard. That was his father.

" _I'm sorry… but we're losing him._ " A Karlsland man was heard.

" _Isn't anything going to be done?!_ "

" _He's losing too much blood and oxygen from his brain. He'll…_ "

" _I know of a way, and it's worth the risk…_ "

" _Sir! No! Using the process will change his physiology as well! Not to mention… he's got to get his own AIM field for it!_ "

" _Exactly. If being an Esper is how it's going to be… then it has to be done._ " Enzo said, while sounds of Max's body being rolled somewhere was heard later. " _Photonic Tissue Assembly will have to be done EXACTLY the same time the Esper Conversion process is done. It's the only way his arm is ever going to be healed and synced with his brain afterwards. It's a long shot, but if we do it, we may have defied medical science at its best._ "

" _Sir… this will get you to violations and you know it._ "

" _I don't care! This is my son we're talking about! If there's a way, we do what's best for it! Now, is your equipment capable of the first phase?!_ "

" _Yes, sir. All of the equipment here are capable of it._ "

" _Then do it. Begin the first phase as soon as possible._ "

And it felt like hours to him. He felt like his head while being processed. Eventually, he was given knowledge at some point.

" _Phase Two underway._ " A Liberion man said. " _Damn… he's taking that much time and he's calm about it?_ " He asked himself while beeps were heard from a respirator machine.

" _It's natural it happens._ " Faust's voice was heard again. " _His mind is being processed as to how much knowledge he could accept. After all… he's only a man. We all have our limits somewhere._ "

And hours to him, passed again. The passage of time is not the same as his thinking though.

" _Phase Three is almost complete. This is incredible._ " A different Karlsland man said. " _It's like the photon tissues are completely getting in line with his DNA._ "

" _It IS changing his DNA._ " Faust's voice was heard. " _Soon… he'll be awake. I never knew he would actually be able to handle it. Now… we wait._ "

And soon feeling surroundings, Max stirred.

He opened his eyes.


	2. Enter: Photon Thunder

**Hello, world! As promised to myself… Striker Suit Max is now active! Goodness… Old guy… Too much MARVEL and DC stuff… Now I'm mixing anime in this? Is this a crazy idea? Dayum… Strike Witches was only one of the series I meant to use, but only one just gets me going to continue on it solidly. Am I crazy? I think I'm crazy. CRAZY!**

 **Anyway, take me as a cranky, but still good ol' guy who just started around. You know… watching a lot of anime got me to fuse those together some references.**

 **By the way… I'll answer your reviews on the next chapter. Here's part 1 of… "Enter: Photon Thunder", so please enjoy.**

* * *

 _ **Chapter 1**_

" _ **Enter: Photon Thunder"**_

" _Think he'll wake up?_ " A Liberion man spoke.

" _You think he won't?_ " Faust's voice spoke as a reply. " _Wait… he's…_ "

As Max stirred, he groaned and took a while before he slowly opened his eyes. He took a deep breath, while aware his vision was first blurred thanks to the nasty hit he must have taken. Where was he? He was seeing white all over the ceiling, the walls, even on his bed and covers. "Uhh… What's… Where am I?"

"You're in my facility, actually in the intensive care unit that's in my lab." Enzo Faust's voice got Max to think he's back in the laboratory in Berlin.

"So that's how it was…" Max slowly sat up on his bed, while not feeling other things on him like a dextrose bag or some other things on his skin. To his little surprise, those things should have saved him. ' _So it's true._ ' He lowered his head for it. "Dad… I have to ask… something. What happened to me?"

"Eh… You remember, don't you?"

"Yeah… it's crystal clear and my arm could have been…" But before Max spoke, he glanced towards where his amputated shoulder should be. He saw an arm that wasn't supposed to be there in the first place. Then, he tested his arm and it responded well as he knows, seeing it's the exact same thing. "That's something to add to my list." He sighed, knowing he must be hallucinating.

"You seem… calm. Wait a moment…" He took this to his advantage to walk to a whiteboard with wheels. He rolled it across the room and just at a distance from the front of the bed Max was in, he stopped there and made sure the whiteboard was visible. He then walked back just near Max. "I want you very much… put your arm forward."

"Are you joking?"

"If I was joking, I would have laughed but I'm not flinching. I already know this is a natural reaction you would have. Now… put… your arm… FORWARD." The calmness and intensity of his voice caught Max's attention.

Certainly, Max's father could have been joking. ' _But he isn't. I guess…_ ' He looked forward at the distant whiteboard and slowly puts his hand forward. "Dad… what am I doing?"

"Just… focus, will you? Imagine that whiteboard as a target… then with your hand… well… just destroy it."

"…With what?!" As Max glared at his father, his hand started to glow with a blue orb coming from his palm. He glanced at it and saw how the orb is connected to him. It wasn't burning him. It wasn't scaring him either. It's like it's natural to him and it doesn't make him flinch either. ' _What is this? Why am I feeling… all normal with this?_ ' "What did you do to me?"

"Just FIRE a round, will you?!" Faust's voice was certainly intense now that he's demanding it.

Max didn't know what else to do but follow his father. ' _If he wants it, he'll get it._ ' He then looked forward to the whiteboard and aimed his arm at it. With an intense concentration of light at his palm, he prepares to fire a shot. ' _Whatever the cost, I'll see how this goes!_ ' And without a doubt, a brief blue muzzle flash came from his palm before a photon sphere-round was released from his hand…

* * *

 _ **At another hospital bed… Orussia… The beginning of a winter season…**_

The touch-screen tablet showed the video of the surveillance cam of Max firing the sphere-round and making a hole on the whiteboard. "Wow…" An old woman's eyes widened as she watched how it was done. The whiteboard was shot up with a heated blast from his basic shot only.

" _See how it's done?_ " The touch-screen turned back to Enzo Faust's broadcasted image from Karlsland. It seems the old woman was in communication with him the whole time. " _He didn't take the matter seriously at first, thanks to his instincts in line with his own identity now._ "

"Let me just point out… he still has a lot of catching up to do. He was out for a month, to remind you."

" _Of course. He still needs to remember a few things… like what exactly he encountered. For now, there's the matter of covering the whole thing up. The world knows he's dead, and he's to be given a codename._ "

"And you called him what, exactly?"

" _The codename I gave to him… is Photon Thunder. There's not much to it, unless he starts giving himself a free ride, of sorts._ "

"Fool. The psychological effect of it would have to be handled first."

" _Of course. Therapy goes first… then training._ "

"Make it quick, Enzo. Things are not going well and you know it as well as I do. How are your studies related to the Nightmare Neuroi going?"

" _So far, it's steady._ " Enzo's broadcast on the tablet was changed to the image of a Nightmare Neuroi unit… Delta Class. " _It seems all of them have one thing in common: They're colored purple instead of red. But what's not told on the outside besides that little fact is their firepower. To remind you, they started appearing in Europe and Australis 2 months ago… something which wasn't predicted to happen._ "

The old woman sighed at this. "You once told me when you were studying their hide, that you recovered traces, of dark magic."

" _That's the next problem. How in the hell did they ever infuse dark magic in their biological properties?! It's still something I'm solving together with my other team members. But for now, there's the matter of my son._ "

"Of course. Do what you can to prepare him. If nothing can be done… there's nothing even WE can do. The Striker Suits need to be brought forward against this new threat that's slowly becoming worse now." After her reply, the tablet's image went back to Faust.

" _I don't know if the European HQ of the UNIA will ever allow it. Such power can be used against us. That's something not new. But if we don't risk deploying the suits, how worse could something like this problem remain if not untouched? I need your word on this… Director Litvyak. You're only one of the branch directors who…_ " And he sighed, knowing he didn't want to just make her leave her comfort zone.

"I know. I'm refusing to die, unless we find a solution to this. It will forever change us all and change the world as we know it. Faust… start convincing them. It will be a while, but they'll listen." And because of this, Enzo became silent. Her own advice will begin plans of getting the Striker Suit to be used. They're running out of time.

" _If… If that's what you want, I'll make it happen then. What about you?_ "

"I have a few strings to pull, Dr. Faust. You don't need to worry about me."

" _I'm only concerned, Sanya._ "

"Then focus your concerns on our problems, or I'll die sooner." And her cruel joke made him gulp. "Tch. Just focus on what's supposed to be done, Faust. Contact my department if you wish to get either instructions, or talk to me. Goodbye, Enzo." And with that, she cuts the transmission from the tablet. Slowly turning to her left, she sees a nurse with a wired phone's handset on her ear. She was silent and it seems to mean she's still waiting for someone on the other line to speak up. "No luck?"

The nurse sighed and was disappointed as she puts the handset down with a frown. "I'm sorry… but I cannot reach her. They're on call since Britannia's a little messy right now."

"I see."

"Director… I…"

"Speak up, Tanya."

"I just wanted to ask… Are you really sure you're telling him you refuse to give out?"

"You don't need to find another word for it. I know you seemed scared about me, not dying yet. It's actually true."

"Why? Out of everything you wanted to achieve… you could have at least left your duties to others who think…"

"Age does not have to do with anything related to thinking. The most crucial decisions related to saving lives always depends on those who know it better, and they believe I'm that kind of woman. I will not fail them and I will keep doing what I do best as long as I live." And Sanya's words simply made the nurse close her eyes in fear of what might happen. "Follow others like me if you must. Just know that at a certain time, you'll see what I mean. Now go."

"Thank you… Ma'am. I'll… try to remember it." She bowed a little before she went on her way.

As the old Sanya glanced back forward, her eagerness slowly fades for a while. "Oh, Eila. I wish… I wish you were still around…" And raising her head up, she hoped that same Suomus witch from before would come back and claim Sanya so they'd live happily together. "You always liked me to keep hoping, eh? Well, I'm not hoping for your arrival." ' _I'll keep going and I'll do what it takes to still pursue peace while it's still possible._ ' And slowly, she lied down with her head on her pillow, closing her eyes for her slumber once again…


	3. Arrival in duty (Arc 1 START)

_**Chapter 2**_

" _ **Arrival in Duty"**_

The background music of Michael Jackson's P.Y.T. was playing in the background. The jets of the commercial airbus plane ran smoothly… It was a bright and sunny day. None of the clouds in the sky blocked the sun shining down upon the waters of the wide ocean…

 _ **1341 hours… 20 minutes to Australis airspace approach…**_

As Max was sparring with a young woman in her twenties, he was trying to match her sparring skill without magic. He always knew how to do close quarters combat with just anyone without holding back. But this time, since he has gone out to be an esper while he was being saved, he lost some of that energy for CQC. Because of that, he keeps losing as he always hits the ground whether it could be at his back, his back, or even kicked in the shin, before being spin-kicked at his chin to knock him out. He did this many times, even before he left Karlsland. He did this so that he could keep trying.

But his luck ran out on him. His chest was on the floor as his arm was also being binded by the young woman's hands tightly, affecting his shoulders as he quietly hissed in pain. ' _Damn it, this girl knows her tricks._ '

"You should probably practice more on being patient, Max." A Karlslandish accent came from the young woman. "Zu konzentrieren und zu antizipieren! (Focus and anticipate!) If your opponent's fast, you have to try heighten your senses by getting your attention straight! Fatigue may slow you down, but your mind knows when to stop… Bastard." She pulled on his arm to make him groan in pain before she finally lets him go, getting off him.

Max breathed in relief and rolled on his back to breathe, seeing the bright yellow neck-lengthened hair of the young woman. Her arms were crossing over the other with the curiosity she's showing. "Tell me something, Max. You ever tried to do mind pattern tests? They increase your reflexes at some point."

"Do I have to answer that?" Max replies softly, but at least the woman knows since she's good at her lip-reading. "Seriously though… You're treating me like a kid."

"Well, you act like one." She smiled and offered her hand. "Wanna reach it?"

"A test?"

"You never know." She replied, before he reached and held her hand, before she pulled, but stopped halfway. "In a sparring session, don't trust anyone. That's your last mistake for this one." She suddenly pulled a fist back before sending a punch at him and hits his face, knocking him out cold before he's on the floor. He only saw black then. " _Now we're done with sparring._ " Her voice echoed, while he slowly stirred and silently groaned in disappointment to his loss.

 _ **5 minutes later…**_

"Ohhhh…" Max was groaning in pain while an ice bag was on his cheek. Seated at a chair, he looked to his left and saw a white chest-lengthened haired Orussian girl with natural red eyes observe him as he was keeping to himself. But Max is bothered by this. "What are you looking at?"

"Yesli led na shcheke ne pomozhet vam lechit', sdavat'sya. (If the ice on your cheek will not help you heal, give up.)" And she giggled after saying her 'healthy advice.' "At least you have guts, Karlslander esper, but it's not enough."

"Care to tell me what else I need, Valenskiy?"

"You need more concentration on the way she hits you. Anticipate her movements and keep defending until you see an opening before you counter her. If you keep being aggressive, she'll overthrow you anytime."

"Well… That helps."

"What the hell made you lose your edge? From the beginning, you were handling yourself well with CQC, but you're a wreck in front of Helena."

"Well… Helena Giehl isn't the most helpful on words… most of the time."

"And Lin Valenskiy is?"

"Your real name's Galina Valenskiy. You made your first name short. You studied partly in the KGB, then defected to Faraway Land after finding out your own relatives were forced to side with the Orussian communist wing."

"I see. You know me, but you don't know Helena."

"The only thing I know about her is…"

"… _ **I act like a Nazi.**_ " Helena joins her two companions. "Komm damit klar. (Deal with it.)"

"Was ist, wenn ich nicht? (What if I don't?)"

"Then you should be ready for me any time in the day, cause I would try knocking you out until you learn your lesson."

"Can't it wait?"

"No." And Helena giggled before she left Faust to his pain, still behind the icebag on his cheek.

"Bitch," He muttered. "You heard that too, right?"

"She tends to be like that with all her subordinates before she was demoted. But now that she's free to degrade you, she stayed in that rank for several months now."

"No wonder she's so good and her rank's low. Plus… she's too good to be a leader that she tends to boast a lot."

"Exactly. She's so strict, no one could keep up with her. And she's so boastful, no one could start something with her. That brought complaints. Still, she's not a bad teacher."

"She's the ultimate drill instructor."

"You can say that." Lin chuckles at this statement. "So… would you be like that with any of your subordinates?"

"I'd rather retire than give a bad impression on any training cadet, Valenskiy."

"Wise. Keep it that way, will you?" After her word, the flight captain spoke through the PA System.

" _This is your captain speaking. We'll be landing in less than 15 minutes at Sydney Regional. Get your pants, ready, folks! You'll be taking the next flight by a smaller plane._ "

"Figures," Max mutters.

"Expecting this?"

"I am. That airstrip where the research regiment's base should be is just near where the hive is, and the big thing is moving. And they say those Neuroi are sending the same Nightmare Deltas that might have taken out my team."

"Every Neuroi unit is different, to remind you, Esper."

"Yeah. I'm starting to see by twos and threes if that's the case. Would you help me get up if I faint from it?"

Lin giggled. "Of course, Max."

"Thanks. I needed that…"

Everyone was silent as the plane finally found its way to Australis. What Max will find in the outpost he's assigned to later on, will be part of his first experience as an esper in general.

 _ **\- Introduction of Arc 1: Into the Killzone –**_

 _ **END**_

* * *

 **This might be short, but I'll be introducing some other stuff later on! You'll be quite interested of our two ladies Max met, but you'll see others, but not quite what you expect! Stay tuned!**


	4. Silver Lining Of The Purposeless (P1)

_**Chapter 3**_

" _ **Silver Lining Of The Purposeless (Part 1)"**_

The major was staring down a pilot who's a flight lieutenant in his rank. " _ **YOU… IDIOT!**_ " The major said this with intense emotion, and the room was suddenly feeling the heat between the two of them. The flight lieutenant, now 27 years old, looked at the major like it meant nothing. "You may look like a hotshot pilot from around, but your attitude, clearly becoming a problem, is becoming not only a bad influence to your squadron, but as well as living disappointment! Not only have you gone aggressive on the enemy, but you CLEARLY underestimated their skill, even if they're just regular Arions! For once, you should understand that the team goes first. Whatever propelled you to have this rank is not enough. Your improvement in fighting was exceptional, but it's not just the quality we look for.

"Because of your irresponsibility, we have lost two fighter units out there. There were only three of you, and you took a squad of 7 Neuroi Arions, which was clearly a disadvantage. It was only a good thing a witch support squad had arrived to help on your retreat, otherwise, you would have died out there."

"There's your answer, major. I survived, and I hold myself… responsible, for their deaths." The young flight lieutenant said this, with a tone that mocks not only the meaning of being a team player, but also of a model. And for that, the major approached him and slapped him straight and hard to his cheek.

"You are clearly not able to cope the situation we have, are you? That's my answer to you. The Greyhound Regiment will be reassigned, since this part of the world is lost, for now. But it's not entirely your fault."

"So what the hell is the problem?!"

"The problem has always been you, flight lieutenant. I'm sorry, but my decision right now is as follows: As of this past hour following the events of the mission that has been successful, however with confirmed casualties, Greyhound Regiment has been granted a reassignment of the squad's team leader. Therefore, Garrett Juutilainen, awaiting demotion because of his actions, is hereby removed from his title as team leader, and will remain in…" The major saw Garrett approach him until they were face to face in the room. "What are you doing?"

"What am I doing? It's obvious. You just want me out of the regiment."

"I don't want you out of the regiment. You will learn to stay and reflect on your actions, just as you should."

"My actions?! I've done the right thing leading the Neuroi to their demise!"

"…BUT AT WHAT COST?!"

"I know their deaths are not going to be in vain as long as I live and I get to serve as a team leader!"

"Then what the hell do you want?!"

With this, Garrett whispered: "I don't need this, or you. I quit." With the last words he said, he stepped back from the major. "You're done with me, and I respectfully ask that you accept my resignation. The two words I said will suffice." With this, he walks to the door and opens it, then glances one last time at the major. "Give me a dishonorable discharge for what I care." And that was when he went out and closed the door behind him.

And one of the seated pilots who saw what happened stood up and attempted to get to the door, but was stopped by the major. "M-Major?! Are you just going to let him leave?"

"Let him. He said what he needs to say. He just had a bigger head than ever and you saw it."

"But… should we let him walk away just like that? He's a valuable member to the team…"

"…and a disgrace. He doesn't clearly see it, but he clearly sees he has this problem with authority. I'm not going to stop him. What will happen to him next might just be his own trial. But as of now, even if we try to bring him back, it will just make it worse. We follow his word for it and expect a little more before we let him go. This is his decision. Not ours anymore. I'm sorry." The major spoke with some regret to the pilot. "Lieutenant Barkhorn, I will make this very clear…"

"I quit too." Barkhorn said, and the major was surprised of this.

But he spoke with authority. "No you will not."

"Sir, with all due respect… I am not going to stand and watch a team fail with one of them. It might be justified that two of the same team would have to be joined up instead."

"Barkhorn, I…"

"I feel his anger and I know him. Maybe I don't have problems with authority, but he's my friend. There's no excuse for what he has done, but I have no excuse not to repay him after what he's done for me. No matter where he goes, he needs me. And I'm not going to let go of that, sir. I'm sorry, but I'm also tending my resignation."

"Bray, what are you thinking?"

"I'm not afraid, and I have no problem with you sir. But respectfully, I know what I signed up for, and this is not how I wanted it to end up."

"So you're just going to follow him?! Is that it?! I already told you many times he's a bad influence, and you still defend him?!"

"I do, sir. I'm his clean side and he needs to be wiped clean for many times. We're sticking together and that's my decision, sir."

"You are not leaving."

"I am and I will. I'll put it up with the base commander and have my formalities with him as always. I'm sorry, but I'm not going to change that anymore." Bray made no other move than walk towards the door, opened it, and closed it behind him as he left.

And like time flew fast, the two ex-pilots were in an airliner on their way back to where they belong: Berlin, Karlsland. They were childhood friends even before the beginning of their career and always stuck together like glue as always.

But even Garrett never knew Bray would do that for him, so he talked to him while on their flight.

"Did you have to?" Garrett asked, now getting attention of Bray beside him. "I was the bad guy there, so they believe."

"We both are. I'm acting like a good guy thanks to the status quo and I did it with pride too, Garrett. I'm not gonna lie to you: I always like how you lead, even if you get problems."

"I know. You always put us both in front for some reason, even if you're a rank below."

"I never cared, did I? All of what's important is our friendship, and that's not going to change for some time."

"I believe you really can't afford to change that at all. Thank you, Bray."

"You know it's my damn pleasure, Garrett. Believe me." Bray smiled at this and Garrett did the same. Not only was it a long flight, but it's also a good time for them both…

 _ **And so, a year has passed…**_

While Bray was working as a commercial airliner pilot, Garrett had no choice but to stay behind in Karlsland and just deliver packages through being a bike messenger. Knowing it wasn't enough to make a living, Bray always sends him envelopes of cash. He's living alone. No relatives. No siblings… or so he thinks.

 _ **February 17, 2015… Berlin, Karlsland…**_

It was a bright morning in the busy capital city of Berlin, Karlsland. Cars were going around. Traffic was almost loose, since they finally fixed the broken traffic lights from intersection to intersection.

Time was slowed while a mountain bike with a multiple gear-changing system left the ground while travelling fast. Eventually, his reflexes got back to normal as he finally hits the ground and lets speed get on his senses. While tight on the wheel and wearing a helmet and knee pads for his safety, he was carrying a small bag. As what his job gives him the thrill and partly supports him, he was a bike messenger, and he was quite good at it.

He then put a finger on his ear before he activated his earpiece. "Caleb, is this the right street?"

" _That's right, G._ " An Orussian male spoke through the earpiece and it was recognized by Garrett. Caleb is known to be the informer and messenger branch manager in West Berlin. " _You should be able to come by at his home. Remember: He catches the packages, so don't slow down._ "

He smirks while taking out a small package with a freed hand. "Did I ever slow down?" He asked rhetorically before seeing the house he's supposed to be delivery the package to. The front door opened and two hands came out. That was his signal. As soon as his side was exposed, he finally throws the package straight to the two hands on the door. At the same time, he saw the back of a car in front of him. Just like his natural instinct, he bent and hopped up. The air was almost still. The wind rushed through him as he flew over the car, but felt the gravity take over before the bike barely misses the bumper of the car before seeing those two hands from the door give two thumbs up. He smiled at this and focused on the road, aware that he accomplished his delivery. "Caleb, be happy. I delivered it, so I expect my payment."

" _Sure you will, if you get back here in one piece. The bike you have there is a rental, after all._ "

"Whatever you say, Caleb. I'm heading back there now."

" _Are you?_ " And Caleb is heard chuckling before he ended the call.

"Jackass." Garrett muttered and kept on pedaling.

At the same time, a classic car stopped by an intersection after the driver sees the red light.

The man in the suit was at the back while wearing an olive-green beret on his head. That time, he was talking to someone on his cell phone. "Of course I'm looking great." He said to himself with a Karlslander accent, or rather the one on the other line. "Look, I'm not in the mood for a talk. Make sure you look spiffy."

But what he doesn't know was that the light turned green and his car drove off. The light on one of the directions suddenly came on green, and a black Hugo car was furiously approaching the classic car's side.

The beret-wearing Karlslander only saw that oncoming car at the corner of his eye too late. "What the…?" And as he felt the force of the oncoming car, the car was then hit before it rolled sideways.

That time, Garrett was at one far side of the intersection and noticed the traffic now building. As he pedaled on ahead, he saw the reason: A small car collided with a classic car, which was now beat up. From afar, he saw a driver leave the Hugo and was in a trench coat. He knows what it means: It's an attempted assassination. And so, he pedaled faster. As the man finally got a small pistol out from his trench coat, he approached the beat-up and disabled classic car and aimed his pistol at the man who once had a beret on. But before he was able to put his finger on the trigger, he was suddenly knocked down. He first heard chains near him before he was knocked to the ground hard.

Garrett did a good job punching the assassin's side. Then, he put his bike on one side before tires screeched on the road. And with his speed, he got off the bike before it gently hits another car while he stood up tall to look at the man who he knocked out. He saw a Walther PPK/S 9mm on the ground nearby, and that assassin was wearing a mask, even covering his hair. "So that's your deal, eh?" Garrett made a say before approaching the stunned assassin. "You shouldn't have carried a trench coat, asshole."

The masked assassin then shook his head and immediately got up before sliding the coat off him, leaving his necktie to be taken off. As he saw the bike messenger approach him, he took off the necktie and approached his possible attacker. He rolled the necktie around one fist before raising his hands. His attacker swung the first punch before he went low and attacked next. Soon, they were about punching and evading each other.

Garrett wasn't raising his hands, knowing and anticipating punches from the assassin. ' _I got this._ ' He thought as the assassin was getting faster and desperate. A little later, the assassin was able to get a hold of his head and raised a knee to attempt hitting his opponent's face, only for Garrett to block the face attack. But as he got back to looking at the assassin, he realize his mistake, not anticipating the assassin to use the necktie and suddenly getting behind him to strangle him with it. Garrett soon felt the necktie and felt the pressure on his neck that he got his hands on it to get it off him, or he'll suffocate. He felt his back with the man's back and knows what the assassin is doing. ' _Crap! If he tightens it more, I won't stand a chance on this guy!_ '

Eventually, Garrett feels the man's back and he's slowly being lifted up and the pressure on him was heightened. As the only way of trying to get the assassin to stop, he freed one hand, letting the necktie's pressure drop on his neck before closing his fist hard, putting his arm up and suddenly pushing it down with elbow exposed and focused its direction to the man's side. He hits the assassin's side and keeps doing so. He was slowly loosening up from the tie until Garrett's one last hit with the elbow got the assassin to finally let go of him. The Suomish bike messenger immediately straightened up, realizing that man might have the reaction for it. He turned towards the assassin and saw him pick up the 9mm before facing Garrett and aiming the pistol with finger placed and squeezed. Like on instinct, he sees the bullet and its exact trajectory before he moves his head and completely missing the bullet. The assassin kept shooting and Garrett kept missing the bullets as he ran towards the assassin, now with a fist in front and finally letting it land hard on the assassin's cheek. He did it there, as the assassin was thrown to a nearby car, hitting his head and knocking him out cold.

' _Finally._ ' Garrett thought while panting. He just took down a person's assassin there and then. ' _Now to reveal who's behind the mask._ ' He had to know who the assassin really was. That time, sirens were heard afar, and he had to make it fast. But before he made his first step towards the assassin, he felt a small sharp object hit his left-side neck. His eyes widened at the realization. ' _Dart. I hate this._ ' The thought got through as his consciousness suddenly faded and his body went limp on him before he impacted on the ground. The sound of sirens were fading from his senses, until he felt the world go black…

So much time had passed when he was unconscious that he stirred and opened his eyes slowly, before sitting up on his bed… He looked around in response to his shock and saw a nearby clock and its time.

 _ **1801 hours… Garrett was in his bedroom when he woke up…**_

He felt his head ache a little thanks to that dart, but he didn't mind it first, since he was already hearing a nearby door being knocked on. He groaned got himself off the bed, wondering who it was. He went down to the ground floor and went to the front door, and the same one being knocked on. He touched the knob, twisted it, and pulled the door open before seeing a familiar face, knowing the platinum-blonde colored hair of none other than his sister. "Tch. Dory."

"Eh?"

"Why are you here?"

"Aren't you glad?" His sister smiled at him. "Nice to see you again, Garrett."

"Well… I'm glad to… Oops. No I'm not. Häivy siitä! (Get lost!)" And with no doubt, he held the door and pushed it closed, but not without seeing the door not hitting the edges. ' _What the?_ '

" _ **Not this time.**_ " Two of the same voice of her sister was heard out the door before the door swung open madly before he was knocked back. As he shook himself back to his senses, now seeing an identical figure of her sister beside the original. One of them snapped a finger before the clone disappeared as she came in and closed the door behind her. "I'm not about to be shut out again by my own brother, and I came all the way here on Mom's advice to visit you."

"Mom sent you?"

"…sent me?! What or who do you think am I to you anyway?!"

"It doesn't matter, does it?!"

"On the way you've acted in the family, it is! So get your ass out of your stupid head for once, big brother. Hmph!" She crossed her arms, now looking at her brother.

"I'll ignore that 'ass-out-of-the-head' thing and just… I don't know." Garrett proceeded to the living room and 'Dory' followed. "Want something?"

"Yeah. I'm staying with you for a few days."

"Says who?"

"Says Mom, so just suck it up! You never know! I might be your lucky charm." Her smirk is certainly getting on his nerves now…

And a big leather case was dropped at the floor in the living room just before the girl finally took a seat down at the couch. "Hah… It's so good here."

"Did you have to bring that big case?"

"Of course I had to! It'll be pretty boring here since you don't much life around here after you left home. After all, this is Bray Barkhorn's home."

"Besides being in Bray's home, he at least sends me cash over here."

"This really beats working the long hours as a commercial pilot. Teehee…"

"Okay… You're implying something."

"Well… Do you have a job?"

"Do I have a job? It's a good thing you asked: For now, I'm just a bike messenger. It's almost a year now and it pretty much makes extra. Wait, why are you asking?"

"Nothing. I just thought you would be taking a job with thrill in it. How's being a bike messenger gonna bring that?"

"Idiot. I pedal the hardest I can so I at least get the speed I need to feel good."

"Feel good?"

"Adrenaline's one thing. Being careful is another, but I really don't slow down unless there are tight corners."

"Who's the idiot now? Hehe… Big brother, you're gonna get yourself hurt if you keep going with that."

"Like you don't."

"I fly a striker unit, so I get less."

"Looks like we're both idiots. We risk our lives whenever one or both of us are in the air. I may be an ex, but I'm not stupid on the risks since I know how it's like."

"Then why the hell did you quit flying?" That's a question she needed to ask him, yet again.

"What do you think? You said I wasn't good enough…"

"…but you could have changed that, Garrett."

"I have, but they think I got over my head."

"Know what? I think they were right."

"So?"

"Still, you should try coming back anyway."

"No. I'm not going back to the Greyhounds."

"It doesn't have to be the Greyhounds Regiment you could go back to. Try just being a regular fighter pilot for your own sake. You'd be doing Europe a favor."

"And why are you telling me this?"

"It's because you might need it anyway. And… maybe you'd think about it again. It's been a year after all. We've been worried sick, and that's why I got here. I thought you'd forgotten us."

"That's the problem. I didn't."

"Huh? Well… How's that a problem?"

"They expect too much from me."

"What are you talking about? You always accomplish what they say…"

"I NEVER HAD A CHANCE TO MAKE MY OWN DESTINY BECAUSE OF MOM AND GRANDMA! I know they're both into telling fortunes, and most of them came true for my case. That's why I left: I want to make my own path and not hear of the future unless it's a good time to!"

"But aren't you glad they were giving you some sort of preference already?"

"Tch. You don't know anything, do you? They make me look like an idiot and I still follow what they say. What does that make me?"

"It doesn't make you any worse, Garrett. I'm not going to judge you, and no one will… and not anymore after what happened to you."

"You're not helping, Dorotea."

"Oh? I thought I was." She then stands and opens the big case before browsing inside. Eventually, she brought out a picture frame with a family picture of herself, her brother, their parents, and Grandma Eila. She placed it on the living room table. "You're still family, no matter what. And no matter what kind of little tweak you think we should make, you gotta understand that most of it won't change, unless we decide to."

"Was I wrong?"

"You're not… But you have to…"

"I'm not talking about it anymore. Put that away."

"No. We're gonna be spending time with each other and this picture frame's gonna be the beginning." She then walked towards the small shelf at the side of the living room and placed the picture frame there. "We're gonna be a family again, and I'd like you to realize that. Maybe you don't have the guts to allow that, but I still want to make it happen. One day, we'll be together: All of us. You'll see. Maybe steps won't happen soon, but I'll make it possible."

"Hmph." Garrett turns his back on Dorotea with arms crossed. "I won't lie to you, though. You certainly are concerned of me."

"Aren't you missing something?"

"Well, what did I miss?"

"We love you."

"Give me a break." And he turned to her with a glare. "Maybe you all did, but did I enjoy it there? Did I get to that same level? Maybe I did before you came along." And his words shocked her.

' _Wait, what?_ '

"Face it, Dory. I told you times before about you. It just started when you were around."

"Okay… You're talking about that again?"

"Yeah. You got a problem?"

"No. YOU have a problem, big brother. You were always…"

"Things would have been easier for me, IF YOU WEREN'T AROUND!" And his last sentence stopped them both as they were glaring at each other's eyes. All the years that passed and he was still angry about her arrival in this world. He remembered how they gave attention to the little bundle in that hospital. Once that baby turned into a girl with age, they got to give attention to her much more since she was also developing a likeness with her mother and grandmother, while he watches them, studying them. What was he missing? And he realized it himself: She was able to manifest magic for the first time while he never had it in his life. This happened while she was already in the military while he was as well, but as a fighter pilot. He felt at those times that they're giving him more responsibilities because he needs to learn the hard way about life. He thought it was unfair at that part, since he knows his sister might be having life as a convenience thanks to her magic.

And Dorotea might have seen this coming that her eyes started to wet up, after a long time of not crying in front of him. "Until now, you still think of…"

"I LEFT BECAUSE I DIDN'T WANT TO HURT YOU! And now you have a reason why you shouldn't be here."

"But I'm also hurt when you left us suddenly! Damn you!"

"Then you know how it feels to be stuck between what's personal to you and what's personal to your family. I was sick of that feeling and I left because of it. I needed to think and I know you understood that. Otherwise, you'll just be wasting my time if we're not clear on it."

"No, I… I get it. It's fine."

"I don't really see it from you yet, Dorotea, so I'll leave you alone for you to think about it yourself. Just… Just don't go in my room and make a mess." Garrett had his final say before he left the living room and suddenly opened the door and shut it close behind him.

The girl just stood there in the living room for a while, trying to process what he said, and she knows he's just hurt through the mixture of events that happened to him. He was no longer given that same essence of love from then. He even lost his career as a fighter pilot. That definitely breaks him, but she's thinking of something else. ' _I bet he's just feeling sorry for himself, or something. He's got his mistakes, but he shouldn't blame himself for them. And when he's got problems, he should bring it up. He never does because a huge part of him thinks Mom and grandma were always right, and he couldn't do anything about it. He's sick of it._ ' She then browsed her pocket and took out a handkerchief and wiped the tears off her face. ' _But I'm also here to cheer him up. I see his point now. And I wanna make it up to him. He thinks it's my fault? I'll do what I can to repay him for that, starting now._ ' She closed her eyes before a magic glow surrounded her. As she focused, a clone of her appeared beside her before she looked at the clone. "Just, relax and look around the house. Then look at his room, and see if he's… really telling the truth about me not making a mess."

"I thought he told us not to get there anyway."

"I know. But my brother hides a lot of personal feelings anyway, including family stuff. Don't put my clothes there, for my sake. Watch the house." She instructed her clone before she walked to the door and got out of the house…

The night was young as the nearby pub was bustling with young adults, and even older men and women…

Garrett was waiting and seated in front of the long bar counter before the bartender gave him a glass of his requested drink. "Here you go. Something wrong, Juutilainen? You look like shit."

"What do you think?"

"Hey… Not gonna argue, but that ain't healthy. Hehehe…" He chuckled before patting the Suomish man's shoulder and left him.

Garrett kept looking at the glass with the liquid still there, untouched and unmoving. Ripples were only made as a few people from afar and near him were slamming on the table of the counter for some reason. He kept looking at the liquid, imagining how it would be like when too many disrupt the peace of the liquid he sees right now.

" _ **Figuring out life?**_ " Dory's voice was heard beside him before he saw her take a seat near him.

"How'd you know I'd be here?" He asked, and glanced at his drink, still not touching it.

"I know you'd be a man enough to drink and get drunk, but it's not about family before."

"Oh? How do you know?"

"We always talk to each other, and family's always the very thing that's concerned. Everything else that damages you, and you just get drunk. This is the first time I saw you here, about to drink something thanks to what we talked about: Me."

"It's about me too, Dory."

"I'm not going to waste my time telling you that you should cheer up."

"Well don't try. I wanna just forget about it all. I wish I could do that."

She smirked at him. "Then I guess you should get started then."

 _ **2108 hours…**_

' _Drunk too early._ ' She thought while back in the house and finally putting down a sleeping Garrett on the couch. Her clone was concerned of this.

"What happened to him?"

"Oh, he just got drunk."

"Ouch. I thought this would happen."

"Yeah. We both did." Dory finally got her clone to fade and let memories flow in for the time being. There's nothing much about the house, but there's something about his room.

And so, Dorotea found her way in his room and turned on the lights. There was nothing there. No posters and not even personal decorations were put there. It was an empty room, with only a bed and a drawer there. ' _No wonder life's boring for him. This room's got almost nothing._ ' She turns and sees her brother sleeping on the couch and frowned at it. ' _Lost his purpose, huh? Maybe… I can make him find one again?_ ' Those were her thoughts before she looked around the room for one last time before turning out the lights.

 _ **1149 hours…**_

Garrett was slowly stirring after his head-aching night. His eyes started to move as he opened his eyes, letting the blackness fade and the blur come in before it fades as well. His first sight was a stuffed chicken doll on the living room table. ' _A Clucky doll?_ ' He smiled at it for a little before he looked around, with the smile suddenly fading and him, sitting up to look around: Curtains on the window were different. Different small strips of wallpaper were around shelves. What's more is, there's even a flower vase nearby. All of those weren't in the house. ' _Hey, wait a minute…_ ' He groaned before shouting: "DORY!"

" _ **Big brother?!**_ " Her voice was heard from the kitchen as she walked over there carrying a pan, while she was wearing an apron extending to her legs. Sizzles from frying something on the pan were heard. But that's not what got him blushing for. "G-Garrett?" She saw him look away and she smirked at him for that. "Pervert. I thought you'd be surprised, but you're rather the same, huh?"

"Of course I'd be surprised. You're only wearing your undies the whole way behind the apron. And what's with the damn changes around here?"

"Oh? You don't like it? I had to get help with my clones." And as soon as she said it, a clone of herself peeked her head out from the kitchen.

"I helped too!" Her clone said before moving her head of their sight.

Garrett sighed and just stood up from where he was before he walked to his room. "I'll just take a bath for the sake of not smelling like liquor for once."

"Yeah. You do that. And it's almost noon time."

" _ **CRAP!**_ " He said to himself before hurrying to the bathroom.

 _ **1206…**_

Garrett took a bit off the toast and chewed a bit quickly, but patiently still. And she was there just watching him.

"Garrett, don't rush. You'll die." And her words made him suddenly swallow.

"I'm gonna pretend I didn't hear that!" And he got back to his eating.

"Seriously, why did you intentionally get drunk just to forget about it?"

"I told you, I'm fine with it now."

"No you're not. This isn't healthy and I know it too."

"Wanna tell that to the bike messenger branch manager? You'll give him all the more reason he would fire me."

"Fine. Just hurry up, okay?"

"What are YOU gonna do?"

"I have different things in mind, so don't worry about me."

"You'll just try and practice fortune-telling again."

"And so? It's worth a try anyway."

"Good. Then tell the fortune of my job status."

"Aren't you going to work anyway just to find out?"

"Ugh… Fine." Garrett wasted no time as he ate through his breakfast before he started to prepare himself…

 _ **1214 hours…**_

He was pedaling hard on his bike, now running late on his job, but things were about to change for him as a black SUV suddenly stopped in front of him. No other vehicles in the road were there, and he knew something was wrong. Two men suddenly exited the vehicle and both of them had held MP5's at him. One of them went behind him and got a bag over his head. The next he knew… he was dragged in their ride, before the SUV left the area, leaving the bike behind…

 _ **1216 hours…**_

The front door was knocked on and DJ was relieved to be fully dressed, now wondering who it was at the door. She went to the front door and pulled it open, seeing a familiar face to her surprise. "B-Bray?"

And Bray smiled at her. "Hey, DJ."

"U-Um… What are you doing here?"

"You need to know something, and it's important. Mind if I come in?" Bray asked this and DJ let him in with no delay, and closing the door to make sure their privacy is respected. Immediately he went to the couch of the house and sat there. "Sit with me."

DJ followed on his little weird request and sat beside him. "Um, Bray… What's going on?"

"Listen… Are you aware of the news yesterday?"

"Oh, that? I heard the Karlsland Prime Minister was supposed to be assassinated. He's that guy with the green beret, right?"

"Good thing you know about that."

"Then there was this assassin who was arrested and his name wasn't given due to the safety of national security. You know what they're talking about?"

"It's clear, actually. That assassin is from an unknown anti-witch party."

"Wait, what? Why are you telling me this?"

"The assassin could have succeeded in his plan, but not while he was interrupted and taken down by a bike messenger." And his look was accompanied with an atmosphere that is so deep, she's recognizing it. "You know who I mean."

"No… You don't mean…"

"He did it. He saved the Prime Minister."

"What?! B-but why didn't he tell me?!"

"I bet he was busy trying to figure out life with you around, DJ. After all, things happened to him."

"Wait, where is he?!"

"That's why I'm here, Dorotea. Suomus and Karlsland governments were monitoring him after his forced leave from the Greyhounds. They knew he was something more, so they kept an eye on him for a year now. Then, when the Prime Minister's life was saved, a decision had to be made."

"They're gonna need him."

"Exactly. They're giving him another shot. DJ, he's… He'll be given another chance, and right now, I don't think they're kidding."

"Well… How do you know?"

"It's because I'm not a commercial jet pilot, and the ones observing him are from the UNIA. I'm from the UNIA too, and he won't know yet until we get to him. Like I told you: He's being given this chance."

"Let me guess: Redemption?"

"You read my mind, DJ. You just read my mind." And Bray's words were the only thing needed to convince her.

"No… way…" She couldn't say anything else for a while thanks to the surprise she finally feels with the weight of the situation finally getting to her, now knowing his brother was calm under the bag that was put on him and the silence he has on his position.

His shot at redemption for himself was about to be given and it's up to him if he wants it or not…


End file.
